Wildcats hold off Vols

Posted: Thursday, March 03, 2005

By The Associated Press

LEXINGTON, Ky.  Senior forward Chuck Hayes, playing his last home game for Kentucky, scored nine of his 13 points in the final 5 1/2 minutes as the third-ranked Wildcats held off upset-minded Tennessee 73-61 on Wednesday night.

Patrick Sparks scored 14 points  all in the first half  for the Wildcats (23-3, 14-1), who already had clinched the Southeastern Conference title.

Tennessee (12-16, 5-10) hung with the Wildcats for most of the game and were tied 55-55 with 8:25 left after Chris Lofton, who had 19 points, hit his fifth 3-pointer.

But Tennessee didn't score again until 1:53 remained, and Kentucky scored 16 of the next 18 points to extend its winning streak over the Volunteers to seven games.

No. 4 Wake Forest 98, Georgia Tech 91

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.  Vytas Danelius had 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Demon Deacons (25-4, 12-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) rallied from 11 points down in the second half to pull out the win and finish the season 16-0 at Lawrence Joel Coliseum.

Jarrett Jack had 23 points for Georgia Tech (16-10, 7-8), which had won two of the last three meetings with Wake Forest, which made eight of nine free throws in the final minute to lock up the win.

No. 7 Kansas 72, Kansas St. 65

LAWRENCE, Kan.  Wayne Simien had 25 points and 20 rebounds and Kansas celebrated the 50th anniversary of Allen Fieldhouse with the victory on an emotional senior night.

The Jayhawks (22-4, 12-3) clinched at least a tie for the Big 12 championship with their 30th straight win over the Wildcats (15-11, 5-10).

It was the 36th career double-double for Simien, the leader of a four-man senior class that has won three conference championships and gone to two Final Fours while recording a 109-25 record. Kansas' all-time record in Allen Fieldhouse, which opened on March 1, 1955, is 566-102.

No. 8 Oklahoma St. 69, Texas A&M 63

STILLWATER, Okla.  John Lucas III scored 27 points and Joey Graham added 16 for Oklahoma State in its closest home win of the season.

The Cowboys (21-5, 11-4 Big 12), coming off consecutive losses for the first time all season, didn't score a field goal in the final 5 minutes, but they hit 15 straight free throws down the stretch to hold off the Aggies. The win was the Cowboys' 29th straight in Gallagher-Iba Arena and extended the nation's longest home winning streak.

Acie Law IV scored 22 points to lead Texas A&M (18-8, 7-8), which has lost 10 straight to Oklahoma State and hasn't won in Stillwater since the 1922-23 season.

No. 14 Michigan St. 69, Northwestern 58

EVANSTON, Ill.  Maurice Ager scored 20 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 3:33 to play that curtailed a Northwestern comeback that cut an 18-point deficit to five.

Alan Anderson led Michigan State (21-5, 12-3 Big Ten) with 22 points, hitting six straight free throws over the final 1:24 to seal the win.